Multitiered ball game board with paddles



United States atent Nathaniel F. Hawthorne 855 Cedar St., Alameda,Calif. 94501 793,517

Jan. 23, 1969 Dec. 29, 1970 Inventor Appl. No. Filed PatentedMULTITIERED BALL GAME BOARD WITH I PADDLES 8, 119, 85, 85(C), 85(D),94(C), 94(D), 113, 123

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,237,486 4/1941 Henderson273/85A 3,399,894 9/1968 Smith 273/115 FOREIGN PATENTS 870,130 6/1961England 273/85D OTHER REFERENCES Sidney A. Tarrson Co. March 10, P965(273/1 13) Primary ExaminerAnton O. Oechsle Assistant ExaminerTheatriceBrown Attorney-Robyn Wilcox ABSTRACT: A transparent multitiered table,each tier having enclosing walls and a floor sloping to the longitudinalaxis thereof. in each tier there is provided for opposing players alongitudinally extending paddle shaft, slightly offset from thelongitudinal axis of the floor, and a transverse paddle shaft locatednear the end of each box; whereby opposing players can stand at oppositecorners and one hand can control the transverse paddle shaft and theother can control the longitudinal paddle shaft. The transverse paddleshafts carry a pair of paddles whereas the longitudinal paddle shaftscarry three paddles, which are in alternaterelationship with the paddlesof the opposing player. A plurality of holes in each floor areairran'gd'on e'itfier'sideof the longitudinal axis. A single ball isdropped through a hole in the top tier and opposing players try tocontrol the ball to cause it to drop through the holes in successivetiers and finally fall into a pocket below the lower tier.

MULTITIERED BALL GAME BOARD WITH PADDLES It is an object of the presentinvention to provide a stimulating and exciting game in which theopposing players must rapidly pass from one tier, or field of activity,to another.

It is another object of the invention to provide a propelled ball gameboard in which each player must constantly be on the alert to takedefensive and offensive action to control the progress of the ball intohis own scoring pocket.

It is another object of the invention to provide an exciting game whichrequires considerable skill on the part of participants, but in whichchance plays a very important part.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description of the game board taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tiered game board of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of one tier, or story, ofthe game board, taken along a transverse plane indicated by the line 2-2of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of one tier, suchas a view taken along the planeindicated by the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of one tier of the gameboard, such as a view taken along the vertical plane through one row oflongitudinal holes,.as indicated by the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

At the outset it should be understood that in its preferred form eachtier, or story, will be identical with the others, so that a descriptionof one such tier will be sufficient. It should also be understood thatthe game board in its entirety should be made of transparent material,such as Lucite, or other clear plastic material, in order to permit theplayers to follow the progress of the ball from story to story until itdrops through the floor of the lowermost tier, or chamber, and fallsinto the pocket, or drawer, of one or the other of the players. In itspreferred form, the game board will be constructed of boxes or chamberswhich can readily be superimposed one over another so that the board canbe made to any complexity or height desired by the players. I have shownin FIG. 1 a board comprising'three such tiers, or chambers, superimposedover the collecting box, or base. While the game board is substantiallysquare in cross-sectional area, it will be more convenient to refer tothe dimension which parallels the centrally located paddle bars and thecentrally located apertures through which the balls may fall, and which,incidentally, therefore, parallels the valley which is formed in thefloor of each tier, as the "longitudinal axis, or dimension; and tospeak'of the other dimension as the transverse. When this is considered,it will be seen from FIG. 3 that each tier, or chamber, comprises endwalls 11 and 12 and sidewalls I3 and 14. Each chamber is provided with aceiling 15 (FIGS. 2 and 4) 'which slopes from sidewalls l3 and 14 to thelongitudinal axis of the chamber, thereby forming a valley l6 midwaybetween the two sidewalls. A row of paired relatively large apertures 17are arranged close to the valley 16. Preferably, there will be a pair ofsuch apertures 17 for each of the staggered paddles to be described inthe next paragraph, six pairs of apertures 17 being showin FIG. 3. Itwill be understood that the ceiling 15 of each chamber forms the floorof the chamber above. Preferably, the diaphragm 15 which forms theceiling of the lower chamber and the floor of the one above is affixedto the lower chamber, it being dished as shown in FIG. 2 and as hereindescribed, as that construction is less subject to damage for it isformed as a concave member within the lower chamber rather than a convexone depending from the upper chamber. The respective tiers, or chambers,are held in perfect alignment by flange members 18 affixed to eachcorner of the chamber. These flanges 18 can be affixedeither at the topof the respectivechambers or at thelower edges thereof, it beingnecessary only that the adjacent chamber nests firmly and securelywithin the rectangle formedby the four flanges l8.

Each chamber 10 is provided with a pair of parallel paddle bars 25, 26(best shown in FIG. 3) which are journaled in the end walls 11 and 12 insuitable bearings, not shown, and preferably located above the center ofthe sections, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. These paddle bars arepositioned closely adjacent the longitudinal valley l6, and preferablyjust inside the center line of the row of apertures 17 previouslydescribed. Each of the paddle bars 25 and 26 is provided with aplurality of paddles 27 and 28, respectively. The paddles 27, 28 arespaced alternatively, being separated on their respective shafts byspacers 29, 30, respectively. The spacers are longer than the paddles,as shown in FIGS. 3 and '4, so that the operation of the paddles willnot permit any paddle to hit, or interfere, with the operation of theopposing set of paddles. Axial shifting of the paddle bars 25, 26 can bereadily prevented by any suitable means, such as washers, notidentified, at both ends of the bars, It will be noted that the one bar25 projects from one end wall 11 and the other bar 26 projects from theother end wall 12 to provide a suitable mounting for handles 31, 32whereby the bars can be properly operated by the opposing players.

Each section, or chamber, I0 is also provided with a pair of transversepaddle bars 35, 36, both of which are journaled in the sidewalls 13 and14 (best shown in FIG. 3). These paddle bars are likewise journaled inbearings which permit rotational movement of the bars, but preventlongitudinal displacement thereof by some suitable means, such as thewashers, not identified. One of the paddle bars, for example bar 35, isextended beyond the side wall 14 to form a mounting for a handle 37 andthe other paddle bar 36 is extended beyond the sidewall 13 to provide ahandle 38. Obviously, the two handles are utilized by opposing playersto control operation of the paddle bars 35, 36. Each of the paddle bars35, 36 is provided with a pair of paddles 39, 40, respectively. Each ofthe paddle bars 35, 36 is journaled close to one end of the chamber andthe two are, therefore, removed some distance from the other. Therefore,the paddles 39, 40 will not interfere with each other, so that thesepaddles 39, 40 preferably are located in alignment with that of theopposing paddles, as shown in FIG. 3.

It is obvious that operation of the longitudinal paddle bars 25, 26 willbat a ball transversely in the chamber, and the transverse bars 35,36will bat a ball longitudinally therein. By controlling operation of onelongitudinal and one transverse paddle bar, a contestant will seek todrive the ball through an aperture 17 on his side of the valley 116 andhence prevent it from falling through the aperture 17 of his opponent.Preferably, I locate a number of apertures 18 adjacent the respectiveside 13 and 14 of the chamber. I have so shown six such apertures 18along each side I3, 14 of the chamber shown in FIG. 3, but greater orlesser number can be utilized. Once a player has been able to get a ballto drop through an aperture 18 on his side ofthe board, he is in aposition to more readily control its progress in the chamber below.

In addition to the plurality of playing chambers abovedescribed, thecomplete board preferably is provided with a top section 45 (shown inFIG. 1) which contains no paddles. To start the game, a ball is droppedthrough a hole, or aperture, 46 in the top and thus permitted to dropunhindered to the cross membrane 15 which forms the ceiling of thetopmost chamber. The complete board also has a base section 47 whichpreferably is divided longitudinally along the longitudinal center lineby a curtain wall 48, thereby dividing the base into two longitudinallyextending chambers. A pair of collecting pockets, or drawers, 49 and 50are located below the curtain wall 48 and preferably of a size tocompletely fill the respective side of the base 47. Therefore, any balldropping through the apertures 17 of the lowermost chamber must fallinto either the drawer 49 or 50 as controlled by the contestants, and atthe end of the game can be readily counted by opening the drawers bysuitable handles 51, 52, respectively.

It is believed that the operation of the game will be readilyunderstood. A ball is dropped through the top aperture 46 in the topsection 45 and immediately falls into the topmost chamber 10. Theopposing players try to control the progress of the ball through therespective sections by operation of one longitudinal paddle shaft andone transverse paddle shaft in each superimposed section 10. Forexample, one opponent will control the longitudinal paddle shaft 25(handle 3ll) with his right hand and the transverse paddle shaft 35(handle 31) with his left, while his opponent controls operation of thelongitudinal paddle shaft 26 and the transverse shaft 36 by using theirrespective handles 32, 38. The object of the game is, in each section,to try to drop the ball through an aperture 17 or 18 on his side of theplaying board, so as to ultimately drop it into his pocket 49 or 50 inthe base. At the end of the game the score can be counted by countingthe number of balls in each of the two drawers d9, 50.

It will be understood that the drawings and the above disclosure show apreferred embodiment of my invention and that many modifications willoccur to those skilled in the art which do not depart from the inventiveconcept herein disclosed. For example, I have shown three playingchambers in addition to the top 45 and base sections 47. It is obviousthat either more or less could be used, depending upon the complexitydesired. Also, while I have shown a single longitudinal and a singletransverse paddle bar for each player, that more could be provided ifdesired so that the game could be played by teams of two or moreplayers, or a single person would be responsible for operating one ormore longitudinal shaft and one or more transverse bar. Accordingly, itis intended that the appended claims cover such modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and concept of the invention.

lclaim:

l. A propelled ball game board comprising a chamber having sidewalls anda floor sloping to a valley along a major axis within the chamber, aplurality of longitudinal paddle shafts located close to and parallel tosaid valley and a plurality of transverse paddle shafts, at least onepaddle mounted on each shaft, apertures in said sloping floor of suchchamber located close to but not on said major axis, means mounting eachshaft for rotation about its longitudinal axis, and collecting means forseparating balls dropping through apertures on one side of said majoraxis from those from the other side thereof.

2. The device of clainrl wherein said paddles on the longitudinallyextending paddle shafts are located alternately with respect to eachother.

3. The device of claim 1 comprising also a plurality of apertureslocated adjacent the sidewalls of the chamber.

4. The device of claim 1 comprising also a second chamber similar tosaid first mentioned chamber and superimposed thereabove.

5. A multistoried, propelled ball game board comprising a plurality ofsuperimposed playing chambers, a base section below the lowermost suchplaying chamber and a cover above the topmost such playing chamber, apair of longitudinally extending paddle shafts in each playing chamber,a handle for one shaft at one end of the chamber and a handle for theother shaft at the opposite end, a pair of transverse paddle shafts ineach playing chamber, a handle for one such transverse paddle shaft atone side and a handle for such other transverse paddle shaft at theother side, a floor below each playing chamber sloping to a valleyextending along the longitudinal axis of each chamber, apertures throughsuch floors spaced from but adjacent to such longitudinal axis, a singleaperture in said cover of said game board, and means for dividing thebase section into two longitudinally extending chambers, whereby ballsused in the device will be collected from one or the other side of thevalley in the lowermost playing chamber.

